How we explored Glacier National Park in 5 days
Place: Glacier National Park
State: Montana
Closest Towns: Whitefish, Kalispell, Browning
Time of Year: July 2023
How we got there: Road trip
Glacier National Park has to be the national park of all national parks! This place holds such beauty and grandeur. I believe all our national parks have something special and unique to offer but this one is a step above! We invited my brother Marc and his wife Stephanie to join us! They are one of the few couples that can keep up with our pace! Marc and Stephanie live in Colorado Springs, CO so instead of trying to coordinate flights from 2 different states, we planned a road trip! Cesar and I flew to Colorado Springs and we took off from there in Marc’s new Ford truck. The total drive was just over 14 hours and we did it in two days. We overnighted in Laurel, MT using free Marriott points.
Vehicle Reservations at Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is divided into 4 sections and you will need a vehicle reservation to drive into each one. Reservations open 4 months in advance of the month you wish to visit. You typically only have 4 months a year when the whole park is accessible. July – October. Go to NPS.gov and set up an account. Reservations fill up within minutes of opening, so plan ahead! We had 3 of us logged in trying to secure permits and still didn’t get everything we wanted! There are a couple of loop holes if you are unable to secure reservations though! You can book a boat tour for the area you wish to visit or you can enter after 3pm. If you are Native American and possess a tribal ID card you will not need a vehicle reservation and can enter anytime.
Arriving at Glacier NP
After two days of driving we were anxious to see the park and stretch our legs! Our Airbnb was right near Browning, MT just minutes from the entrance of Two Medicine. Since it was 3 pm we did not need a vehicle reservation that day. A warm up hike is what we needed and we opted for the Aster Falls hike where we were rewarded with our first moose sighting of the trip! The lake was gorgeous surrounded by wildflowers and alpine views and of course a waterfall!
Day 2 Many Glacier & Grinnell Glacier Hike
When I dreamed of Glacier NP, I dreamed of the Grinnell Glacier hike. It is located in Many Glacier which is the Northeastern entrance to the park. In the weeks leading up to our visit, the national park site had listed Grinnell Glacier trail as being closed due to avalanche danger. I checked everyday and finally decided on another hike. But low and behold the day before our hike, Grinnell Glacier trail opened! We were at the trailhead by 5am to be sure that we could get a parking spot. This hike turned out to be one of my all time favorites! Glaciers, icebergs, Gatorade blue lakes, waterfalls and wildflowers galore! Its a gradual 5 mile climb with every color of wildflower imaginable covering the lush mountainside. We crossed through streams flowing from the waterfalls above and down into the crystal blue lake below. I had never seen a lake this color before in person. I loved how we could see the reflection of the mountains and clouds in the water! As we came over the hill, the glacier came into view. My jaw fell to the ground! Not only did we see Grinnell Glacier sprawled out above us, but down below was the most gorgeous lake filled with icebergs! How lucky were we that we got to see them before they melted away! We actually saw pictures from a few days later and the icebergs were gone! We shared our picnic with a curious marmot while we gazed at the unbelievable sight in front of us and had the hardest time leaving this place when our time was up! We had a boat to catch! On the way down we spotted a mountain goat enjoying a patch of snow!
We were unable to secure a vehicle reservation for Many Glacier so we bought boat tour tickets to get us into the area. We hiked the 5 miles back as fast as we could as to not miss the boat tour leaving from the lodge. The tour itself is peaceful and informative and we got another moose sighting! This time a male with antlers! We crossed Swift Current Lake and jumped on another boat to cross Lake Josephine. If you want to cut off some miles on the Grinnell Glacier trail you can take the boats over and back however you would have to wait until the tours start running and the trail is super busy then. I recommend going early in the morning to avoid the crowds. We booked our boat tour online in advance.
Day 3 Two Medicine and Lake McDonald
Before heading to the west side of the park we spent some more time in the Two Medicine area. Two medicine sits in the Southeast part of the park and is probably the least crowded area. We took a boat across Two Medicine Lake and heard the story of how Two Medicine got it’s name. From there we started our hike around the lake back to the other side. The minute we stepped off the boat it started to sprinkle and them drizzle and then pour! But we didn’t let the rain stop us! Twin Falls was our destination. After visiting the falls, we hiked 5 miles in the soggy forest nervous that a bear would jump out any minute! The forest floor was covered in new growth. Ferns, wildflowers and berries! The rain made it even more beautiful! By the time we finished, we were soaked! The gift shop had a little café where they made warm soup and sandwiches and that’s were we headed!
By the time we drove to the west side of the park, the rain had stopped. Our main goal from here on out was to see a bear! Hopefully at a distance! We headed to the lodge at Lake McDonald and rented a motorboat in hopes that we would spot a bear on the shoreline. No such luck! We checked out the lodge, the famous red Model 706’s that tour the park, and got some Huckleberry ice cream! By this time it was getting late and we still needed to check into our next Airbnb in Whitefish.
Day 4 The Highline Trail
The Highline Trail was a very close 2nd to the Grinnell Glacier Trail. It is a little tricky to plan out since it is a one way trail. Our plan was to do the whole 14 miles starting at the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center and ending at The Loop. Our idea was to park at The Loop and take the park shuttle up to Logan’s Pass to start the trail however, the shuttle starts at the beginning of the Going-To-The-Sun-Road and has very few seats by the time it gets to The Loop! We ended up parking at Logan’s Pass(can be very hard to find a spot) and taking our chances on the shuttle from the Loop back up to get our car. More on that later!
Our hike started about 7am and right away we encountered 3 big horn sheep! They were a beautiful sight having their morning meal right on the hillside! Before we knew it we were on the side of the mountain with cables to help us along! The scenery was beyond belief if you dare take your eyes off the trail! A few miles in we hiked across large patches of snow. There were waterfalls trickling down across the trail and views as far as we could see! By the time we arrived at the Grinnell Glacier Overlook detour it was pretty cloudy and we weren’t sure if we should take the chance of hiking up to the overlook and not seeing anything. After having a quick bite to eat we noticed a man coming down the Overlook Trail and asked him if the glacier was visible. Boy am I glad we did! One grueling mile straight up and we were looking at the most amazing view of Grinnell Glacier from above! It was freezing cold and windy up there but worth every thigh burning step! We were now looing at Grinnell Glacier from a different vantage point and the lake iceberg lake we visited 2 days before looked like a tiny pond!
Our next stop on the trail was the historic Chalet and then the 4 miles down to The Loop. We jogged the last few miles down which resulted in a tumble and a few blisters. If you aren’t bleeding, you aren’t trying hard enough!! Once we arrived at The Loop our next challenge was getting a ride up to Logan’s Pass to get our car. The line for the shuttle was so long and it was starting to rain. My sister in law and I negotiated a ride for my brother with some tourists but by this time the shuttle had arrived and my brother was offered a seat next to the driver. He enjoyed the views on the ride up because normally he is our chauffeur and has to keep his eye on the road !In no time he was back with our truck to pick us up and take us to Two Dog Flats Restaurant right across St Mary’s Lake. We had a warm meal as the rain poured down.
Day 5 Going-To-The-Sun-Road
The last day in the park was reserved for the Going-To-The-Sun-Road. We listened to our Guide Along app to get info on what stops are best while learning all the history of Glacier National Park. We use this app for all the national parks as well as other fun vacation spots! The whole day was driving this famous road and it really did hold up to it’s reputation! We passed weeping walls, waterfalls and tunnels along the way! I think our favorite stops were The Hidden Lake trail and Trail of the Cedars!
The Hidden Lake Trail and overlook was so picturesque that our pictures don’t even look real! The trail starts with a wooden boardwalk behind Logan’s Pass Visitor Center and continues on a gravelly path. If you are looking for wildlife, this is your spot! Mama mountain goats and their frolicking newborns surrounded us as well as big horn sheep. More streams, wildflowers, and waterfalls ending in the most beautiful lake! This trail is family friendly and a must do!
Our last hike was to be the Trail of the Cedars. On the way we finally spotted our bear on the side of the road trying to slip by unnoticed! The Trail of the Cedars turned out to be amazing! A wooden boardwalk took us to a spectacular gorge with crystal blue churning waters! The cedar forest was drippling with recent rain and made the forest’s new growth sparkle! I have to say that is trail was unlike any of the others here at Glacier NP. This has to be on your list of things to see!
Well there you have it! Our 5 days in Glacier National Park! Overall I think this is my favorite national park so far! I hope you can visit soon so you too can see why it is so spectacular! Please remember to hike responsibly and leave no trace!
